To the Manner Born
by proudsmile
Summary: Because no matter how much she resisted that pull, the chain dragged her harder to what was supposed to be her destiny.Because she was suited to it, after all a Child of D and a Silver have to be in the same boat or so Rileigh concluded. SI/OC
1. chapter 1

He closed his eyes.

He knew of the vice-captain and his sister's adventure.After all, only a blind idiot couldn't sense the flirting behind every word, though it was nothing serious.Because those two weren't madly in love, not they stare at each other like the other one was his or her sun in this twisted up world.

Because sometimes they ended hating each other's gut and not looking at one another for months.And their personalities clashed, Rayleigh was a calm, collected man and a man of the seas and his sister, Maria, was a hot tempered woman, reckless who threw cautious to the wind, just like Shanks.

That why Shanks didn't care about their back and forth (questionable) relationship.

No, there was nothing to worry about.

Nothing bad would come from Maria's and Rayleigh.

Nope.Nopity, no.

But now he wanted to pump his head on the nearby brick wall.To crack his skull or pull his hair out.The nerves were getting the best of him.

Shanks was anxious and worried.

In the next room, his older sister was laying in the bed getting birth to a little infant.When Shanks had been informed of that, he choked on his booze and fainted right there and there in the party where his men and he were celebrating.For all the thinks he thought his sister would tell him being pregnant with the Dark King's child wasn't one of them.

When that registered in his mind, he completely froze.Dark King's child, Silver Rayleigh's son, vice captain of the Oro Jackson.

Shanks could recall, could recall the slaughters, the terror, the murders of mothers and newborn child alike because of the rumor of Gol D Roger having a lover.If the World Government found out, they would kill his sister and his nephew or niece.

Never in his life he felt that type of cold fear, not even when he fought against an Admiral, and he grew protective of his sister, dropping

every once in a while in Sabaody, taking every snap and hit from her, protecting her...

But now he was useless, his sister was having a hard battle and the only think he could do was cross his arms and wait patiently.

Shanks ranked his hands through his red hair.He couldn't, he really couldn't stay there unmoving, he was a man of action not stood and wait for what will come.

"You shouldn't worry."

His head snapped to te approaching figure.Shanks wasn't surprised to see Rayleigh looking ahead without blinking, unnerved and collected.With that image, Shanks remembered why this man was captain's second hand.

"Your sister is strong." A faint smile made its way in the man's face.

"I know." But that didn't mean he couldn't worry about her.

It was odd to worry about his older sister and to be the one to look after her and not the other way around.Since Shanks could recall, his sister had been the one to raise him and to care for him.If Shanks made the effort to remember his parents, he only get hazy images and faceless persons.

"Never thought I would become a father to someone." Rayleigh chuckled leaning on the wall. "You and Buggy were a brats and I told myself that I would never procreate with any woman, let alone your sister."

Shanks send him a hurt look.

"Me and Buggy weren't that bad." He pouted childishly.

"Crocus' medicines?" Rayleigh pointed out arching his eyebrow.

"It was an accident." Shanks defended himself and his fellow cabin boy.

"When you set the kitchen in fire?"

"We were angry?"

"My books?"

Shanks winced slightly, he didn't want to remember when he and Buggy feed a Sea King the Dark King's books.

"Flora Island? Or should I say Dust Island? " Shanks scratched his head, sheepishly. "The time when you blown up all the supplies?"

"Okay, okay." He threw his hands in the air dramatically. "Geez, always spoiling the good moments."

It seemed Rayleigh would never forget those epic event when they had sailed in the Oro Jackson.Shanks's mind casted to Buggy, the clown, who had been his friend and was still his friends.He wondered who the man was doing.

A cry ringed in the air.

Shanks' observation Haki flared instinctively, there were two presences , one significantly smaller than the other.But there was something off, his sister one was shutting down. Shanks didn't know who it happened and when he kicked the door open.

With long quick strides he crossed the room and stood at Maria's side.He was a aware of Rayleigh being behind him but he could only focus on his sister's sweating face, a small smile gracing her lips as she gazed at the bundle clutched in her arms.

"Rileigh. Silver Rileigh." With that whisper, he watched as his sister's eyelids closed to never see her green eyes, to never see the mischievous glint in them, severing Maria from touching the living world.The arms that had been stroking the child's head fall to the bed, lifeless, the same hand that so many times nurtured him.

And quickly her aura disappeared forever.That strong, tough character would never be among them.Shanks felt like a child as his knees gave up and felt at the side of the bed, droplets of tears streaming down his cheeks, his chest rumbled with the containing sobs.

It hurts.

It fucking hurt.It was like a crushing weight on his chest.Though, her childish personalities, Maria has been the warm mother he needed, the older sister who have weird tips and the best friend he could ask for.He pushed his straw hat further shadowing his teary face.

The last time he felt like this was when Captain was executed.

A heavy hand fall on his head, he peered up to meet Rayleigh, his eyes were suspiciously shiny but his cheeks reminded dry.Shanks knew that Rayleigh wasn't a sentimental man that why he didn't sugar coat this and the red-haired man was grateful for this.Rayleigh's presence was enough to calm his wrecking nerves and emotions that were going up and down.

His eyes zeroed in on the offspring; chubby rosy cheeks, hazy grey eyes and a toppling red hair, covered by a blanket fleece.

His sister's daughter, a half of her.The poor child was surrounded by the death, the essence of blood lingered in the air.The room was was lit by worn candles that were almost down to its last breath.

His heart melted to the child, softly like the girl was made of glass he took her from his sister's embrace.He took her smalls hands with his much larger hand.They were so small, he noticed, the appendage was so fragile that could break at any pressure.She now was his, his to look after his sister.

"I'll look after you, Little Red." Shanks vowed smiling softly at the little infant.

"We will." The old fox whispered, reminding Shanks that he wasn't alone that Rayleigh would pull his weight in the rearing too.

They had agreed that the girl should stay in Sabaody, as wicked at it sounded, the Archipelago was the safest place.For the life of Shanks, he couldn't take on a child in the Red Force that would only be suicidal and Shakky was adamant to help raise the girl and Rayleigh was there to protect her.

So they were standing at Shakky's bar for Shanks to say goodbye, temporally.

"I'll visit when I've got the chance." Shanks said , lips stretching widely into a smile.

"Don't cause too much trouble, brat." Rayleigh narrowed his eyes at him in a warning.

"Such a worrywart." And Rayleigh was, the man was always thinking of the worst case scenario and planning thinks ahead before charging.So opposite of Gold Roger.

Sometimes he understood why the two of them were best friends and almost brothers, sharing everything but blood 'cause Benn Beckman, his first mate, and him were like that.

Averting his eyes he focused on the little infant in Rayleigh's arms, a blanket was wrapped around the little girl, only her red hair visible.Her eyes were closed and she looked quite content in the arms of The Dark King.He felt a little down that he would have to leave after four days but the marines might grew quite suspicious if the sensed him in this area.

They may get too close; too close to his niece and her father.

He had to leave now.

"See ya around Little Red, Old man, Shakky." He bobbed his head up and down, and turned around.

A strong wind passed by and he pushed his hat forward , hiding his face from the enemies' eyes.Though anyone could see the grin in his face.

He was sure this era would be full of surprises.His niece being one of them.

Raising a kid wasn't easy and he never claimed it to be.

But there were always exceptions for every rule and his daughter was surely one of them, Silver Rayleigh concluded.He has never planned to procreate but shit happened and he ended being seduced by Maria, the hot tempered woman. Rayleigh didn't complain because Maria was a lovely woman and easy at eye, everyone could distinguish her by her red hair or by the way she held herself so tall and proud and without an iota of weakness.

But Maria was no longer among the living being but in the dead world.Even with her death, the woman had left her stamp in the world, her mark in a form of a girl.

"Papa?" Rileigh high pitched voice brought him to the real word.

He casted a side long look at his daughter, his daughter was two years old but she was an impressive daughter, she was too intelligent for her own good and as curious.When she had been a toddler Rayleigh had wondered if she would pick after her mother's exuberant ways and her uncle's recklessness or his sensible, calm demeanor.

Let's just say he won the bet.

"What is it?" He picked her up, placing her on his lap.A small smile pulled on her lips as she gazed at him beneath that fringe of hair.

He and Rileigh might not get moments like this but he tended to treasure them as much as he could.She was , after all, his daughter, a piece of himself and he had never been in denial when she was placed in his arms.

"You didn't finish the story when you visited Sky Island." She told him looking at him with disapproving eyes.

He chuckled softly. "Didn't I?" He teased her flicking her nose with his finger.

"You left it when you landed on the island."

Rayleigh hummed thoughtfully, he could still recall Sky Island and how Roger turned it up side down, like many time he had done.He had been frustrated with his captain,

had called him an idiot and Rayleigh had wanted more than toss himself to the sea and forget about Gol D Roger and the storm he brought down.

Roger was an exceptional man, a true D who had known how to make the most meaningless think in an unforgettable memory.

And Rileigh liked to hear stories about his dead captain, always demanding an adventurous story and his nakama. And when he refused to entertain her she would go bother Shakky or Shanks, but mostly she was stuck with him.He didn't say it out loud so much, but he liked that sparkling admiration in her eyes as he waved stories about conquered seas, about mysterious islands and unforgettable battles.

His little girl thought of him as an invencible man as if he was the most interesting being alive out there.He didn't want to crush that idealization she had for him so he didn't correct her, someday she would understand that the strongest can be defeated, even him.

But for now he would enjoy her shining eyes.

"Yeah, so Roger decided that..."

The bell ringed announcing a newcomer and Rileigh was leaping, her foot touching the wooden floor soundless, and running towards the board figure standing in the doorway.

Big hands picked her up and whirled her around, it had her laughing cheerfully.

"Dwahahaha you sure missed me Little Red."

Rileigh nodded quietly, a happy smile tugging on her lips. She wrapped her hands around his neck to steady herself, nuzzling contently in his collarbone. She inhaled his sent a mixture of the sea and the wind and of warmth alongside booze.

"She sure missed you." An amused voiced drawled lazily and Shakky emerged from the kitchen, looking amused a cigarette in her hands.

A soft blush covered her cheeks and she smiled sheepishly at her Uncle. Rileigh had missed the man, it had been month since he visited her or Sabaody. But she had right to long for him, he was her family on the side of her mother.Thinking about the mother made Rileigh uncomfortable, after all the woman should have a different ending if she weren't born, or in this case reborn.

Silver Rileigh had long since stopped searching for an answer of her landing in a world were logic didn't exist.It wasn't only her being thrown into a different whole world but her being related to not only one but two dangerous persons, a Vice-Captain and a future Yonko.Yeah, just her luck.

Though she made herself comfortable in this life, she fit just nicely. So much different of her scattered old life, where she was an orphan and had to fight to get food for her and her siblings, where she had cheated death so many times.But it seems that she couldn't outrun death anymore so she ended dead, dead.

Imagine her surprise when she found herself trapped in a body, her sight blurry and her ear muffled.In that time, it had been a cycle of eating and sleeping, nothing more.Every think was put up in place when she recognized her father, Silver Rayleigh, vice-captain of The Roger Pirates, the Dark King and she meet Red Hair Shanks, her Uncle Red.

She hadn't been in that state of shock for a long time, she had recovered quickly and , begrudgingly, accepted her new life.Which in some point would get dangerous, because she had to learn to survive, a skill she already mastered in her old life but in this she had to sharpen it.

Because she didn't have only to deceive and lie, Rileigh had to fight back.So she started to exercise her muscles from running and picking up weight, she even started to think of a good fighting style that would fit her.She had a knack with sharp thinks, like daggers and swords so it wouldn't be surprising if she ended wielding a sword, after all the blood of two strong swordsmen thrummed in her veins.

But for now, she wanted to enjoy her Uncle's short visit.

"How much will you stay?" She asked him peering at him curiously.

A frown set on his face. "I don't know maybe for some days."

She chewed her lips thoughtfully, some days meant two, maximum three.

They wouldn't have much time before, he would be gone and she would miss his birthday.

"Wait here." Rileigh leaped off her Uncle's arms and she sprinted to her room, leaving her Uncle confused and Shakky amused.

She went off the hall, when she spotted her black wooded door, Rileigh tiptoed to reach for the knop, she twisted it and pushed the door open.

She began to rummage quickly between her thinks, she was a scatterbrained so she tended to forget where she put her thinks. She chews her lower lip thoughtfully, where she had put it.

"Oh my." Rileigh murmured looking beneath her bed . She run up and down searching for her uncle presente .

Her eyes gleamed pleased when her hands touched the rough structure of a panel. Rileigh tilted her head to the side, in the board anyone could appreciate the image of her Uncle, a carefree grin on his lips, hands on his straw hat to keep it in place , as he gazed at the sea in front of him. He looked like a men of the sea, like the true pirate he was.

Rileigh was relieved that her paintings skills were still on their place, this was nothing like she could do in her old life but she blamed her sloppy fingers, it would take time before she could paint like did in her past life.

Grinning happily, she turned on her heel and headed to her Uncle. She spotted him sitting on the bar's stool leaning in the table as he talked with Shakky. His head snapped in her direction when he sensed her.

She stood in front of him and showed him her present. "Here you go, Uncle Red."

Shanks' eyes swept from her to the present, carefully, he took the painting in his hands and turned it over. She felt giddy when his jaw hung open, surprise in his eyes. She knew that her Uncle liked her present.

Shaking his surprise off, he grinned down at her and with his other hand ruffled her hair. "It is beautiful Little Red."

"Of course it is, I made it." She smiled cheekily at him.

"Cheeky brat." A deep voice drawled with fondness.

Rileigh didn't have to turn around to know who entered the room. She had been so used to his presence that she could pin point where her father was or when he to close to her.

"She takes after her Uncle." Shanks guffawed good naturally patting her head.

Rileigh's smiles widened, she knew that later in her life she wouldn't get this peaceful moments with her father and Uncle, by she treasured them nonetheless because sooner or later her life would turn upside down. But for now she wanted to enjoy her childhood.


	2. Chapter II

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Sometimes Rileigh forgot where she lived.

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Her hands trembled with rage tuning with her heart beat. Rileigh wanted to leap at the pompous noble and tear him apart. Who could people handle this scene without batting an eyelash? Did they not feel angry at being manhandled by people who were the weakest of the weak? She sneered at the sight of the chubby Celestial Dragon, people who called themselves 'god' but they did nothing if not hide in Mariejois and a Admiral to back them up.

The Marines protect this people more that the citizens and they did whatever they came up with. They're paranoid and afraid of someone who could shake the world they had built. If they weren't so narcissistic, selfish and arrogant, Ohara wouldn't have happened and Flevance would never happened.

Her heart twisted up and her stomach lurched with displeasure, a bittersweet feeling washing over her. Rileigh could see Nico Robin running away, never trusting anyone and always looking over her shoulder, her guard up afraid that the World Government was after her. She could see small, weak, dirty Law shouting to the sky, blaming himself and asking why the world was so cruel, the memory of his parents, of his city and family burning before his was unbearable.

And Sabo? Who his parent cut his wings off, caging him in their small world and putting a heavy weight down on his shoulders. And so many people suffered from this so called justice.

Silvers Rileigh hated nobles and she longed for the day to punch one in the world was so cruel and caged, one in which you would feel suffocated at being here.

The spectators had their head bowed, sweat running down their temples , their knees were wobbling with fear as they let the two Celestial Dragons pad with their ridiculous clothing. Rileigh took a step backwards, hiding herself from being caught staring, her head held high and glaring at them.

Rileigh shall never lower her head to people like that. People who hide behind their titles.

A heavy, rough hand stroked her short lengthen red-hair.

"They steal other people's freedom." Rileigh choked out her throat clogged with emotion.

This was so wrong, so very wrong she couldn't just turn her head around and ignore it. She had seen the darkness in her other life having experimented it but...Legal slavery? Having the top Government blindfold his eyes at what was being held in front of them? No, never.

"They're Celestial Dragons, they have enough power to do it." Her father replied, chuckling humorlessly.

Rileigh cocked her head to get look at her Papa, his eyes weren't on her they were watching the nobles passing by. The red-haired girl studied her father's features, it was a wonder that the Marines didn't recognize him at all, he didn't change very much from his wanted poster.

Indeed they were enemy was in front of their noses and they didn't even see him.

" Do you think that there is someone who could stop them?" Rileigh asked chewing the tender flesh on her bottom lip. It was a stupid question, she knew that if there was someone who had the guts to face the World Government was Monkey D. Dragon.

"Interested in leading a Revolution, brat?" Her father asked her playfully.

She puffed her cheeks in indignation. "It is a good cause but I'm going to be a Pirate." She answered grinning back at her father. She may not have thought about it that much but Rileigh knew that in the end she would be a Pirate, she didn't like Marines and their justice and no matter how much she liked the idea of a revolutionary the sea called do her.

Rileigh pursed her lips, her uncle was rubbing on her too much.

She would have stayed out of trouble and lived as a civilian but untrained would make her vulnerable to the enemies and Rileigh couldn't always rely on her Papa's protection.

"Following your old man's steps?"

"Damn straight I'm!" She still didn't have a dream on her own but she would eventually find something to cling on.

What could her dream be? She couldn't snatch other people's purpose, just because she didn't have any imagination.

She shrugged those thought off, she would think about her dream later. Now she just wanted to get to home and eat whatever Shakky prepared for them.

As if reading her thought, her father held a hand in front of her, she gladly accepted it.

"Let's go." With that the two Silvers

walked away, leaving behind the Celestial Dragons.

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No matter how much her Papa complained about his former Captain being a reckless idiot with no sense of self-preservation (her father's words not hers). Rileigh noticed that his hobbies , a way to put it , were ridiculous and dangerous.

Dark King may have been known as the level-headed on the Oro Jackson but he got pretty stupid ideas like stealing from the Nobles, her father let himself get captured by slave traders, he went to the Auction House, robbed the noble who bought him and then he knocked them with Conquerors Haki and make a run for it.

The money; he gambled or he bought sake.

For her sake, Rileigh hoped this wasn't a genetic trait (it was a ridiculous thought but looking how all the Ds had a love for meat then she may end up a party and sake loving).

She just shivered at the couldn't imagine herself being an old drunk girl swinging a bottle of sake left and right.

Anyway back at why sometimes her father was doing things without thinking. Because the proof to that statement was in front of her.

Rileigh stared unimpressed at her Papa, then she slid her gaze to the fishman besides him and the little star that was hiding behind the octopus. If she hadn't been born first from a world where One Piece was a well-known anime she wouldn't have recognized the fishman in front of her. He was an octopus, bigger than her but shorter than her father, his skin was pink and he didn't look as threatening as he would when he would join Arlong.

The only think missing was the mark of the 'Sun Pirates'. It meant that Hatchi or Hachan (Rileigh couldn't quite recall) wasn't a Pirate yet.

And then there was the star, Pappagu.

"Rileigh, this are some of my friends." Her father beckoned her to come closer. "This is Hatchi." He pointed a finger to the finger who waved one of his many arms at her. "And this is Pappagu."

They were wary of her reaction, Rileigh saw it on their faces, the discrimination of the fishmen was notorious on this island, no one respected them, they just sold them off and tortured them. Rileigh could understand why they resented humans.

Her father's eyes were on her as she sauntered casually towards the pair and did something that was unexpected to her father's friends but predictable to the man who raised her.

She grasped one of his tentacles and smiled widely, one that resembled her Uncle's. "Hi! My name is Rileigh, nice to meet ya."

Hatchi's eyes widened with bewilderment and his jaw hung open.

"See I told you that she wouldn't have any problem with you." Her father laughed patting the fishman's back.

"Y-Yeah." The two stuttered still in their state of shock.

Fingers still curled on Hatchi's tentacle, Rileigh tugged him to the countertop ignoring their shocked expression. She made herself comfortable in the bar stool and invited Hatchi and Pappagu to sit besides her.

"Come on, make yourself comfortable." She patted the stool with a bright smile, Hatchi sat along with her and Pappagu settled himself in his lap. " I always wanted to meet a fishmen before, I heard that they're good fighters and good swimmers."

"Of course we're." The brown star boasted puffing his chest with pride.

"Yeah we're good swimmers." Hatchi agreed his cheeks reddening from embarrassment.

"That's great." She clapped her hands with a childish glee. "Papa and Uncle already taught me how to swim but I guessed that if you trained me then I would be the best human swimmer ever." Rileigh knew she was blabbering, that she was acting like a child when she had an old soul but she couldn't help it.

There was a fishmen in front of her!

Even if said fishmen would turn her some-time enemy and then they would turn friends again.

"Don't bother my friends to much."Rayleigh said good-naturally.

She glanced at him, he was still standing in the doorway. Rileigh snorted when she caught a sight of sack in his hand.

He had done it, again.

"Don't worry Papa I won't." She promised, she turned her attention on Hatchi. "You know Fishman Island, right? " the pair shared a look before nodding tentatively. "Tell me about it."

And the two embarked in a story of their beautiful island, their eyes shining with longing for their home and happiness to talk about it. Silvers Rileigh knew a lot of stories about the island and all her stories (perks of having two famous pirates as her relatives) but she wanted for Hatchi and Pappagu to feel welcomed not the other way around.

By the knowing smile in her father's lips, he knew what her purpose was from the beginning.

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And she bonded with the two fishmen, considering them her first friends in this world. She would treasure them and protect them when she was older, of course.

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* * *

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It burned right in her eyes, every time he looked at her, Rayleigh saw a piece of himself when he was still young.

And Rayleigh was aware of the passing years and that he was growing old, his daughter too. She was no longer that small, fragile child that he held in when she was brought to the world, Rileigh was growing taller, her features were starting to take shape and the toppling red-hair was now touching her shoulders.

She was six years old.

Silvers Rileigh wasn't only growing physically but she was forging her path for the future.

Rileigh was a lot like him and he tried to ignore the surge of pride every time he saw her holding that longs stick of wood that looked awfully like a sword, which his daughter would take with grace and delicacy. When she would spread her legs apart before waving left and right to test the strength behind every swing she took. His daughter tried to hide her training from him but she was rather obvious when she would ask Shanks about 'cool moves' , battles and more importantly about Haki.

She seemed eager to learn.

A loop-sided smile appeared in his face when Rileigh took the blindfold away, threw it in the grass before stomping it rather angrily.

It seemed that her experimentation in Observational Haki failed again. His daughter knew the theory and understood it very well but there was a difference between knowing a concept and to apply it or rather to unlock it.

His daughter was rather focused on the easiest Haki to learn, Observational was pure willpower it was the ability to sense one's persone presence and to feel from where the attack might come. Unlike Armament Haki who was half-physical and half-spiritual and you've to get muscles to do it and the stronger the more effective and powerful.

And then there was King's disposition.

"Uncle Shanks said that this was easy but it wasn't."

Picking up the small rock besides his feet, he threw it at his daughter mentally apologizing to her.

"Ow!" She yelped rubbing the back of her head where the rock landed. Swiveling around, she scowled

at Rayleigh when she spotted him leaning lazily against a tree. "What did you do that?"

Rayleigh waved her off and smiled serenely at her.

"You're trying to unlock your Haki." He stated ignoring her flaring temper.

Ranking a hand through her red-hair, a nervous habit she picked from her Uncle, Rileigh gave him a quivering smile.

"Y-Yeah." She played with her fingers, fidgeting in her place studying his every reaction to find something that would give his thoughts away.

Shaking his head amusedly, Rayleigh beckoned her to come

to him. The little red-headed made her way towards him, Rayleigh sat down in the grass and patted the spot in front of him for his daughter to settle down, Rileigh complied without saying a think.

Without a further ado he flicked her forehead with enough force to mark it.

His daughter blinked in bewilderment confused at his sudden action.

"You're supposed to dodge it, Rileigh." He elaborated going to her forehead again but this time the cheeky brat dodged her eyes narrowed. "Eyes closed."

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And uh, Rayleigh should take advantages of their small moments. No one knew what the future held for them in the next days.

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* * *

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"You're Yasopp, right?" The girl smiled brightly at him, her hands clapped behind her.

Red Hair's sniper tried to shake off the surprise but he couldn't, his eyes kept sweeping from the child face to the red-hair. Not many people in the Grand Line had the same exact shade of the Captain's hair.

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So to meet someone who had the same shade and the same cheerful expression it was shocking. But despite seeing a small part of Shanks' in the girl's features, she looked nothing like the Captain he came to follow and back him up in everything, Yasopp couldn't shake the feeling that he saw those eyes and that face in another place, he just couldn't place his fingers on it.

"Yasopp meet my Little Red, Rileigh." And there was Shanks who scooped the girl up so that the little girl could rest in his side.

The redheaded leaned her face in Shanks' side looking quite content.

Yasopp was sure that he wasn't the only one who gasped at the man's statement, the whole crew was gaping at the two heads. He pinched his side slightly to make sure that he wasn't in some parallel universe where his Captain had a daughter.

Sending their off reaction Shanks narrowed his eyes at them his eyes darkening slightly. "Why are you looking like that?"

Before anyone could open his mouth and screw this situation more than it already was, Captain's right hand, Benn Beckman, came to their rescue saving them form Shanks' wrath.

"You've never told us that you had a daughter." Benn pointed out signaling the little lady.

Yasopp nodded folding his arms across his chest. "We didn't know you were a father." Like me, he resisted the urge to say those words. The sniper missed Usopp, he missed the little moment he got with his little boy but the sea was calling for him and he couldn't ignore something as big as that, even though he wouldn't see Usopp for God knows when. But father and son would eventually find each other in the bast of the sea, that day would come, the day were his blood would run true and he would turn a great pirate just like him.

"Dwahahaha, Roux isn't my daughter she's my precious niece." Huh?

"WHAT?!" The crew yelled in astonishment their eyes drifting from Rileigh to Shanks and the back forwards.

As much as Yasopp recalled, Shanks had never talked about having siblings, to find that he had one and a niece was a lot to take in.

"Nice to meet you." The little girl greeted, her eyes amused and a small smile twisted on her lips . "Your crew is very funny, Uncle Red."

Their Captain ruffled the girl's hair with a fond gesture. "And they're strong too, they're my nakama."

Rileigh smiled full of affection, her eyes twinkling with awe and worship as she gazed at Shanks. It was clear that the girl held her Uncle above all .

Something twists on Yasopp's heart , a bittersweet feeling nestled on his bones. It was in those little moments that he longed to see his son but he knew that the East Blue wasn't a destination for a Grand Line pirates like them.

"Sometimes I'm going to have a good nakama and protect them."

The girl declared throwing her fist to the air.

Shanks and his crew blinked in bewilderment at the girl's proclamation.

"You want to be a Captain, like me?" And Shanks' voice was full of pride but was quickly crushed when the girl smiled at him innocently.

"Sorry Uncle, but me and Papa agreed that we're the type of people that their hair has to turn grey by reckless Captains like you."

Yasopp muffled his chuckle behind his hand, he wasn't the only one. Shanks' eyebrow twitched, he raised his hand above his hand and before anyone could blink he had took his hat and slammed it down the petite red-hair.

"You're too much like your father than I love to admit." He grumbled under his breath with fond exasperation.

Rileigh only smiled peering over at them from the old straw hat. Her eyes locked on Yasopp, she leaped off of Captain's arms before making her way to him.

"Uncle told me that you've got a son." She stated. "Usopp was it? Tell me about him."

He ignored the other's groaning before launching himself, telling the little lady about Usopp.

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* * *

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Rileigh looked from her dad to the objects on his hand. From him, to the swords resisting on his hands.

It had been a year since her Papa caught her training and since that day he had been assisting her as much as he could. She hadn't made any progress on Haki, the thing proved to be more difficult that she thought it would be.

Sure sometimes she caught glimpse of the persons, but it was very foggy and she had to focus really hard on it. Aside from that she had started to train on her swordsmanship, she had always been interested in that art and this was an opportunity she couldn't pass on.

And her body wasn't as frail as her old one, it had a load of stamina and was very resistant. Maybe it was a genetic thing, her father and her Uncle were beast when they were on battle. But even for that, she had a long way to bypass, she has yet to make a good attack so people would take her seriously.

This life wasn't a game, it was dangerous, it was unpredictable. She couldn't just waltz around.

"You're giving me swords?" She asked with bafflement. There were two of them, one was longer than the other yet they had the same black shiny scabbard.

Rileigh saw her father's sword, the one that was always hidden on his white cloak. It was long, pointy and even more deadly on the hands of her father's trained hands.

"I told Shanks that you were interested in the art of sword. So on his trip on the New World he found them, he thought that they would suite you." He said, his lips quirked up into a smile.

Rileigh smiled mentally thanking her Uncle , he was always the thoughtful took them gingerly with her hands, they were a little heavy and she felt the pulsate under her hand. From now on, those swords were going to be her treasure.

She would be really good at them, of course she wouldn't snatch Zoro's dream to be the World's Greatest Swordsman. She wasn't really interest in the title, it didn't call her.

She then remembered how all the female of One Piece weren't taken as seriously as the boys. Sure there Boa Hancock and Big Mom but Silvers Rileigh would be even better than that, she would make the world take her seriously.

Her name would be known worldwide and she would even surpass her father's famous one.

"Thanks Papa," she gazed at her father. She loved and respected him equally. "I'll be really good at it and then my name will even surpass you. I'll be one of the strongest warrior out there. "No wait that didn't sound good at all. "I'll be the World's Greatest Warrior and I'll even surpass your name."

To her astonishment, her Papa's eyes welled up with tears, it made her heart flutter. Because it was the first time, her father looked so touched by her words, so happy.

And oh, if it didn't poke her greatly. But unlike her father, her tears fell down.

"I'm looking forward it." He muttered those words with such a confidence, with such a pride as if he knew Rileigh would be able to do it.

Vowing to herself, Rileigh promised there and there that she would make him proud. A part of her knew where she would end up but she was still hesitant about it. She still had time until that time came.

.

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* * *

. 

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A paper on the desk and a small pen on his hand. Hatchi gazed at the table he was currently sitting on.

He didn't know what to write down on the paper, his gaze went to the pull of letters that he kept away from all of his fellow friends. It wasn't like he was ashamed of his friend (best friend that's how Rileigh called him), he was more afraid that the fishmen on the ship would start to ask questions and would , probably , bad-mouth her.

It was well known that fishmen didn't like human at all and humans hated them in return, enslaving them. But Silvers Rileigh was so different, her eyes didn't look at him with disgust, instead she would smile brightly at him with her grey eyes. She would share things with him, she even went as far as saying that she wished to meet more fishmen like him.

Rileigh was a kind child but Hatchi was sure that she would pounce on anyone that dared to threaten her or er friends.

The red-headed was an exceptional kid.

"What are you doing Hatchi?" A high-pitched voice muttered out a loud behind him.

The octopus squeaked in surprise , he looked over his shoulder to come face to face with the little girl Fisher Tiger saved, his hands covering Rileigh's last letter.

Head tilted back and blue eyes looking at him with curiosity, Koala approached him.

"You're writing letters." She squealed happily, head peeking over his shoulder.

Hatchi gulped loudly. "Yeah a grind of mine, her name is Rileigh she is hums though." There was nothing wrong with telling the girl that, right?

"Uh-huh." Koala looked at him with innocent eyes. Hatchi remembered how frightened she looked when Tiger brought her on the ship, how she would hide behind him and not trust anyone of them.

She surely came out of her shell.

"I wanna meet her," she proclaimed loudly, fist bumped on the air.

Quickly, he covered her mouth with one of his tentacles, he glanced nervously at the door expecting someone to burst in. When he was sure that no one would come, he sighed relieved.

"Don't say it so loudly," he hissed at the human girl.

Koala blinked at him in bewilderment and then her face broke up in an innocent smile. "So it's a secret friend."

Hatchi nodded tentatively. Yeah, no one on the deck knew about his friendship with Rileigh so she was somewhat a secret friend.

Koala approached him and made herself comfortable besides him.

What did she want now?

"Do you want me to help you write the letter?" She asked him pointing at the paper on the table.

It was an unusual request but Hatchi didn't have any problem with that, maybe the brat could help him to write something.

"Sure." He shrugged nonchalantly.

.

And maybe all the humans weren't all so bad and maybe Otohime was right about humans and fishmen coexisting together as long as they were open-minded like Koala and Rileigh.


End file.
